Electrical translating apparatus



Nav. I, '1932. c. w. BUTLER ET AL ELECTRICAL TRANSLATING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 24, 1929 Patented Nov. 1, 1932 FJNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES W. BUTLER, OF WILKINSBURG, AND ALLAN T. JOHNSTON, OF MOUNT LEBANON,

PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS TO THE UNION SWITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISS- VALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA ELECTRICAL TRANSLATING APPARATUS Application filed September 24, 1929. Serial No. 394,824.

Our invention relates to electrical translating apparatus, and particularly to apparatus of the type involving alternating current relays.

One feature of our invention is the provision of means for varying an operating characteristic of an alternating current relay by supplying direct current to a winding of the rela We will describe three forms of apparatus embodying our invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view showing one form of translating apparatus embodying our invention. Figs. 2 and 3 are views showing modifications of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 and also embodying our invention.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the views.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the reference character R designates an alternating current induction motor relay having two operating windings 8 and 4, a rotor 6, and a contact operatively connected with the rotor. Winding 4: is constantly supplied with alternating current from a suitable source, which is not shown in the drawing, but the terminals of which are designated by the reference characters A and G. Winding 3 is also supplied at times with alternating current of one polarity or the other relative to the current in winding 4. As here shown, relay R is a track relay in a railway signaling system,

winding 3 being connected with track rails 1 and 1*, and alternating current being supplied to these track rails through the medium of a pole-changer P. When this pole-changer is in the position shown in the drawing, current of one polarity relative to that in winding 4 is supplied to relay winding 3 and the contact member 7 is then swung to the right, so that a normal contact 7 7 is closed. When pole-changer P is reversed, contact member 7 will be swung to the left, so that a reverse contact 7-7 will be closed. When the contact member 7 occupies an intermediate position, a middle contact 7 7 M will be closed, so thatthis contact will be closed momentarily while the contact member 7 is swinging from its normal to its reverse position and vice versa.

Relay R controls a second alternating current relay X, comprising an operating winding 8, a rotor 9, and a contact 10 which is closed when the winding 8 is supplied with alternating current. Winding 8 of relay X is provided with a circuit which passes from terminal A, through either the normal contact 77 or the reverse contact 77 of relay R, and winding 8 to terminal C. Itfollows that relay X will be energized when relay R is energized in either the normal or the reverse direction.

Direct current is at times supplied to the operat ng winding 8 of relay X to vary an operating characteristic of this relay. As here shown, this direct current is furnished by a full-wave rectifier D, the input terminals of which are connected with a winding 5 on relay R, which winding is in inductive relation to the operating winding 4. The output terminals of the rectifier D are at times connected with winding 8 through the middle contact 77 of relay R, so that this winding is momentarily supplied with direct current while relay R is reversing. As here shown, the output circuit for the rectifier D also includes a front contact 10 of relay X, so that direct current is not supplied to winding 8 while relay X is de-energized.

The operation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 is as follows. WVhen relay R is energized in either the normal or the reverse direction, relay X will be energized by alternating current, so that the front contact 10 will be closed. When relay R reverses, that is, when its contact member 7 swings from either the right-hand to the left-hand position or vice versa, contact member 7-7 will be momentarily closed, so that direct current will be momentarily supplied to winding 8 of relay X. The effect of this direct current is to damp the operation of relay X and thereby prevent the opening of the front contacts of this relay during the transition of relay R from its normal to its reverse position or vice versa. This effect is due to the fact that the movement of the rotor in the direct magnetic field creates eddy currents in the rotor which react on the field to oppose movement of the rotor.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the apparatus is the same as that shown in Fig. 1, except for the circuits associated with rectifier D. In Fig. 2 the input circuit of this rectifier includes front contact 10 of relay X and an auxiliary middle contact 1111 of the track rela which is here designated R as well as t e winding 5 on this relay. The output circuit of rectifier D includes the middle contact "('-7 of relay R and the winding 8 of relay X, but it does not include a front contact of relay X. The operation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 2 will be obvious from the foregoing description of Fig. l. The advantage of the apparatus shown in Fig. 2,

is that no current is drawn from the auxiliary winding 5 except during the transition of relay R from its normal to its reverse posi tion or vice versa, this being due to the fact that the input circuit for rectifier D is closed only at such time as the middle contact 1111 of relay R and the front contact 10 of relay X are both closed.

Referring now to Fig. 3, the apparatus shown in this View is the same as that shown in Fig. 1, except as to the means for furnishing direct current to relay winding 8. In Fi g. 3 the auxiliary winding is omitted from the track relay, which is here designated R and the direct current is furnished by a bat tery B. The direct current circuit for winding 8 is from battery B, through the middle contact 77 of relay R winding 8, and

front contact 10 of relay X, to battery B. It follows that when relay R reverses, direct current will be momentarily supplied to winding 8 of relay X to damp this relay and thereby prevent the opening of its front contact.

Relays R and X will ordinarily be used to control railway signals or other apparatus, the function of relay X being to prevent the opening of a controlled circuit during reversal of the relative polarity of the current supplied to relay R. The controlled apparatusforms no part of our present invention and is omitted from the drawing to simplify the disclosure.

The direct current may be supplied to the operating winding of the alternating current relay to damp the operation of the relay during both pick-up and release, or during pick-up or release, the desired object being obtained by controlling the damping current over the proper contacts.

One advantage of our invention is that the time element which is introduced by the supply of the damping current may be varied by Varying-the amount of damping current supplied to the relay winding.

Although we have herein shown and described only three forms of apparatus embodying our invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is: V

1. In combination, an alternating current relay of the induction type, and means for at times supplying direct current to a winding of said relay-to delay the release of the relay.

2. In combination, an alternating current relay of the induction type, means for supplying alternating current to a winding of said relay for operation of the relay, and means for supplying direct current to the same winding to delay the release-of the relay. o 3. In combination, a three position relay having normal, reverse and middle contacts, an alternating current relay, means for supplying alternating current to the operating winding of said alternating current relay when either the normal or reverse contact of said three position relay is closed, and means for supplying direct current to the operating winding of said alternating current relay when the middle contact of said three position relay is closed.

4. In combination, a three position relay having normal, reverse and middle contacts,

an alternating current relay, means for supplying alternating current to the operating winding of said alternating current relay when either the normal or reverse contact of said three position relay is closed, a source of direct current, and a circuit for the operating winding of said alternating current relay including said source and the middle-contact of saidthree position relay. 7

5. In combination, a three position relay having normal, reverse and middle contacts, an alternating current relay, means for supplying alternating current to the operating winding of said alternating current relay when either the normal or reverse contact of said three position relay is closed, a sourceof direct current, and a circuit for the operating winding of said alternating current relay including said source and the middle contact of said three position relay as well as a front contact of said alternating current relay.

' 6. In combination, a threeposition alternating current relay having two windings as well as normal and reverse and middle contacts, means for constantly supplying alternating current to the first winding of said relay, means for supplying alternating current of normal or reverse relative polarity to the second winding of said relay, an auxiliary winding in inductive relation to the first winding of said relay, a second alternating current relay, means for supplying alternating current to the operating winding closed, a rectifier receiving current from the auxiliary winding on said first relay, and a circuit for the operating winding of said second relay including said rectifier and a middle contact of said first relay.

7. In combination, a three position alternating current relay having two windings as well as normal and reverse and middle contacts, means ior constantly supplying alternating current to the first winding of said relay, means for supplying alternating current of normal or reverse relative polarity to the second winding of said relay, an auxiliary winding in inductive relation to the first winding of said relay, a second alternating current relay, means for supplying alternating current to the operating winding of said second relay when either the normal or the reverse contact or" said first relay is closed, a rectifier receiving current from the auxiliary winding on said first relay, and a circuit for the operating winding of said second relay including said rectifier and a middle contact ofsaid first relay as well as a front contact of said second relay.

8. In combination, a three position alternating current relay having two windings as well as normal and reverse and middle contacts, means for constantly supplying alternating current to the first winding of said relay, means for supplying alternating current of normal or reverse relative polarity to the second winding of said relay, an auxiliary winding in inductive relation to the first winding of said relay, a second alternating current relay, means for supplying alternating current to the operating winding of said second relay when either the normal or the reverse contact of said first relay is closed, a rectifier, an input circuit for said rectifier including said auxiliary winding and a mid dle contact of said first relay, and an output circuit for said rectifier including the operating winding of said second relay.

9. In combination, a three position alternating current relay having two windings as well as normal and reverse and middle contacts, means for constantly supplying alternating current to the first winding of said relay, means for supplying alternating current of normal or reverse relative polarity to the second winding of said relay, an auxiliary winding in inductive relation to the first winding of said relay, a second alternating current relay, means for supplying alternating current to the operating Winding of said second relay when either the normal or the reverse contact of said first relay is closed, a rectifier, input circuit for said rectifier including said auxiliary winding and a middle contact of said first relay as well as a front contact of said second relay, and an output circuit for said rectifier including the operating winding of said second relay.

10. In combination, an alternating current tures.

CHARLES W. BUTLER. ALLAN T. JOHNSTON. 

